Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »
Countries
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan
Cities
  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Chapel of Expiation
Memorial photo board
Riga Ghetto and Latvian Holocaust Museum
House of Egyptian Architecture
Smygehuk Lighthouse
Smygehuk Fyr
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Steaming Tender Restaurant
Tiptree Jam Museum entrance.
Tiptree Jam Museum
The Reading Room blends the intimacy of an inviting bar with the inviting solace of a good bookstore.
The Reading Room
Building
The Mountain House
The pond.
Jolly's Mill Pond
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
The Hunterian Museum in London.
Where to See the World’s Most Famous Preserved Body Parts
Old Tonopah Cemetery.
Atlas Obscura’s Guide to America’s Most Haunted Cemeteries
Chattanooga Whiskey started distilling here in 2015.
It All Comes Together in Chattanooga
The Clown Motel’s “IT” room.
The Best Haunted Hotels to Book for a Spooky Getaway

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Spain La Palma Roque Idafe (Idafe Rock)

Roque Idafe (Idafe Rock)

Indigenous cultures believed all life would end if this enormous rock toppled.

La Palma, Spain

CoolCrab profile photo
Added By
CoolCrab
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Roque Idafe.   Reinhard Kraasch
Roque Idafe.   Reinhard Kraasch
Roque Idafe.   Wiki05
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

For the indigenous people of the Canary Islands, one of the most religious spots on La Palma was Idafe Rock. This rock was named after the god Idafe.

The islanders feared the rock might fall and end all life, as according to some sources, they believed the natural formation held up the skies. The locals worshipped Idafe, hoping he would keep the rock from falling.

They gave many offerings to the rock, usually in the form of food such as offal and fruit peels. Two people would carry the food to the mountain and, according to 16t- century writings by Fray Juan de Abreu y Galindo, they would sing, "it is said that Idafe will fall" and "give him what we bring, and he will not fall." 

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Related Tags

Rocks Rock Formations Religion Geology Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

The rock is freely accessible, but only by foot.

Community Contributors

CoolCrab profile photo

Added By

CoolCrab

Published

November 26, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roque_Idafe
Roque Idafe (Idafe Rock)
El Paso
La Palma, 38758
Spain
28.731295, -17.869158
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Stone Man of Pico de la Fuente Nueva

La Palma, Spain

miles away

Gran Telescopio Canarias

La Palma, Spain

miles away

Roque de los Muchachos

La Palma, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of La Palma

La Palma

Spain

Places 29
Stories 3

Nearby Places

Stone Man of Pico de la Fuente Nueva

La Palma, Spain

miles away

Gran Telescopio Canarias

La Palma, Spain

miles away

Roque de los Muchachos

La Palma, Spain

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of La Palma

La Palma

Spain

Places 29
Stories 3

Related Places

  • Garments on Eej Khad.

    Sergelen, Mongolia

    Eej Khad (Mother Rock)

    Buddhist pilgrims journey to this sacred rock to leave offerings and have their wishes granted.

  • Window arch in the City of Rocks.

    Almo, Idaho

    City of Rocks

    This U.S. natural reserve is an ancient spiritual place and rock climber’s paradise.

  • "The seats"

    San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

    Silla de Felipe II (Phillip II’s Chair)

    According to tradition, King Phillip II supervised construction of the seat of his empire from this seat carved into rock.

  • Virgin Wall at Penitente Canyon.

    Del Norte, Colorado

    Madonna of Penitente Canyon

    A mural of the Virgin of Guadalupe painted on the rock wall by canyon's religious namesake.

  • Buduruwagala

    Buduruwagala, Sri Lanka

    Buduruwagala

    Seven beautiful 1,000-year-old rock-cut Buddhist statues.

  • The Chapel in the Crag

    Knaresborough, England

    Chapel of Our Lady of the Crag

    A 600-year-old mini shrine guarded by a sword-wielding knight hides in a crumbling cliff face.

  • Entrance to the Cave of the Coffins.

    Kiryat Tiv'on, Israel

    Beit She'arim Necropolis

    A sprawling ancient Jewish cemetery with over 30 rock-hewn burial caves.

  • Scriptures engraved on the rocks.

    Brookville, Pennsylvania

    Scripture Rocks Heritage Park

    Dozens upon dozens of boulders engraved with scripture tell the story of one man's troubled life.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.